Motorcyclists often experience impairment to visibility due to rain, mud, road salt, dust or debris caused by, for example insects impacting on the visor of their helmets. Attempts to remove dust or debris from the visor could result in smearing across the visor, which may lead to further impaired visibility through the visor.
Conventional products are available for cleaning visors of motorcycle helmets, but generally these are employed whilst the motorcyclist is stationary. However, on occasion the motorcyclist may need to clean the visor whilst moving to improve visibility. In extreme situations, this may need to be done very quickly to avoid an accident.
US 2009/0158495 (FLYNN) discloses a glove for a motorcyclist wearing a helmet with a visor. The glove includes a layer of flexible material attached in the region of the index finger and the thumb. The glove also includes a flexible pouch containing cleaning fluid. The flexible pouch is positioned in a compartment in the region of the cuff of the glove. A fluid conduit connects the flexible material to the flexible pouch and includes a check valve such that on compressing the pouch the valve allows fluid to pass from the pouch to the flexible material. When the flexible material is primed with cleaning fluid it can be used to wipe or clean debris from the visor.
DE 10 064 863 (DEGEN BERND) discloses a device that has a cleaning fluid tank, and a cleaning element with a cleaning surface. Two separate embodiments are described. In the first embodiment, cleaning fluid is supplied from the tank by an atomiser to the visor and in the second embodiment a cleaning fluid is provided by a fluid conveyed from the tank to the cleaning element by pressing on the surface of the cleaning element, which acts against a compression spring to allow fluid to be released from the tank into the cleaning element. In both embodiments the cleaning fluid tank and fluid feeder are arranged as a modular unit that is shaped for fastening to a protective glove or to the lower arm of a driver. In each embodiment, the device is operated by movements of the arm.
In the cleaning devices of the prior art the user needs to physically pump fluid into the cleaning element whilst their hand is removed from the handle bar. Therefore, there is a time period during which visibility is impaired whilst the user primes the cleaning element with cleaning fluid, or in the case of the first embodiment of DE 10 064 863 when the user has sprayed the visor; hence impairing visibility further. The time period may be very short, but this period of time may be particularly significant in a situation when on a moving motorcycle. This is particularly significant when, for example travelling on a motorway, where it is not possible just to stop suddenly, and being unable to see properly through the visor.
It is desirable to provide an improved fluid delivery device.
It is also desirable to provide a fluid delivery device that substantially reduces the time required by the driver/rider to remove his hand from the handle bar of the motorcycle.
It is further desirable to provide a fluid delivery device that reduces the number of steps or actions required by the user.
It is further desirable to provide a fluid delivery device and hence a visor cleaner that quickly, simply and safely cleans a visor in single action.